Dances with World Leaders
Dances with World Leaders is the twenty-first aired episode of Crash Bandicoot: N-Ventures!, but was the twenty-third episode produced. In this episode, Papu Papu comes to Dr. Neo Cortex for professional scientific help in beating a mysterious stranger in an upcoming dance competition. Plot Summary One day, Papu Papu flies into Castle Cortex, begging for help. He explains his problem, in a flashback. He had been training for months for the annual Tribe Town Ants Ants in Your Pants Pants Dance Dance Showdown, having assembled a dance squad consisting of himself, and his trusty Tribe Assistants: Speary Spencer (Tom Kenny) and Shieldy Sheldon (Jim Cummings). Their routine was perfected to perfection, but at the contest, they ended up being trumped by a giant, hulking mystery dancer, only seen in shadow, because he's mysterious. Papu Papu was saddened. Back in the present, he asks for Cortex's scientific help in winning his next scheduled dance competition: Sydney Opera House's Rhythmy Poppin' House Music Dance-Off, on Australia Island! Cortex finds the request daunting, but ultimately decides that he just might be able to devise a plan, though first he must meet with his head scientific advisors, Dr. N. Gin and Dr. Nitrus Brio, with whom he "comically" bickers. Cut to the next day! Papu is relaxing in his Presidential Hut, when Dr. Cortex flies in, boasting of his newly invented Super Duper Shoe-per Footwear! To prove their awesomeness, he has Ripper Roo take them out for a test drive, which he does in an extended hip-hop song-and-dance number. Sadly, he breaks the shoes due to his hilarious clumsiness, but it's okay, because Cortex brought a spare pair. Papu slips them on, and immediately feels dancetastic! Cortex gives a pair to Spencer and Sheldon, too. Papu is thankful, and pays Cortex one hundred million Tribe Dollars. Cut to the dance-off! Crash and Coco are in the audience, as the introduction is being spouted off by a generic announcer. Coco listens intently, but Crash is distracted by watching the latest episode of his favourite legal drama about the morbidly obese, Fatlock, on his pocket Wumpavision. Coco berates him, so he changes channels to watch the Wumpavised simulcast of the contest. The audience gasps, as Koala Kong takes the stage, along with his backup dancers, the mysterious "Eucalyptus" Larry and "Beary" Bill! Cortex is shocked to discover that Papu's rival was, in fact, one of his own minions. So shocked, in fact, that he has a very loud vocal moral dilemma about his actions, which tips Coco off to what's going on. Offstage, Papu stops the ground hard with his Super Duper Shoe-per Footwear, which immediately causes Koala, Larry, and Bill to embarrassingly fall down mid-song, bringing their performance to an abrupt end. As such, he only scores 9 out of 10 points. Papu then takes the stage for his own dance, aided by Spencer and Sheldon, and they are terrific. Coco panics. If they're allowed to finish, then Koala Kong will lose, miserably! She goads Crash into standing up and taking action. Crash sneaks onto the stage, passing himself off as part of the act by performing a badly animated version of the Crash Dance. When the Tribesfolk least expect it, he springs into action, destroying the shoes with a cleverly timed Spin Attack! Papu is outraged, and attacks Crash with Staffanie, his Presidential Staff. Crash dodges it, repeatedly, using the same animation, until one of his shoes becomes untied, and he trips and falls. Papu finally has him cornered. It looks like the end for Crash Bandicoot, but at the last possible second, Koala Kong recovers from his injury, and hurls the announcer's podium at Papu, defeating him! Crash celebrates, but unfortunately, the judges liked the "drama" of the performance so much that they award Papu Papu 10 out of 10, and the coveted Golden Dance Shoe Trophy. Papu, Spencer, and Sheldon dance off, overjoyed. Cortex comes forward to tearfully apologise to Koala for destroying his dreams. Kong readily accepts, saying that it was silly to pursue his dreams, and promising that he will never leave Cortex's side again. They heartwarmingly embrace, for an uncomfortably long time. Cortex then thanks Crash for saving his minion. They, too, heartwarmingly embrace, for an uncomfortably long time. Then Crash goes back to watching Fatlock. Ripper Roo chimes in, praising the show, and insightfully noting that, while Crash Bandicoot and Koala Kong solved this problem with violence, that doesn't work in real life. He encourages the children at home to study up on laws and stuff, so that they can solve their problems in the peaceful civility of the courtroom, just like in Crash's show!